From Amazon to Smashwords

I'm excited! 

So excited, in fact, that I'm making my first blog post in over a month.  *ahem*  Sorry.  If I told you about being busy with a new day job, helping my beloved launch her own blog (yay for Gluten Free With Heide) and working around the clock (ish) to get Volume 2 of Elf Queen done and ready for you -- well, that would sound like excuses, and I don't like those.  So I'll just say mea culpa and move on to....

I'm excited!  (you got that, right?)

Why?  Well, I've been holding on to the promotional deals that Amazon has available through their KDP Select program, to the expense of some of my readers.  Specifically, Amazon allows you to use their promotional tools, but you have to, in return, give them exclusive rights to distribute your book.  That means it's all about the Kindle, 'bout the Kindle, no Nook, and -- oh, sorry.

*ahem*

So bad singing aside, the exclusive deal used to be worth it.  The promotional tools used to work well in conjunction with other efforts, and sales were good.  But recently they've changed their algorithms, and added some new stuff, and -- not trying to bash them, but it isn't working for me.  Granted, my own personal promo plan over the past few months has been pretty skimpy as I've settled into new digs.  Still, that notwithstanding, I decided to make a move.

This past weekend I took the three works that are no longer in KDP Select (Cataclysm, Prophecy, and Undercover Truths/Undercover Lies) and uploaded them into Smashwords. 

Yaaaaaaayyyyyy!!!!!

Wait -- what's that mean, you're asking?  Well, Smashwords in turn uploads -- or crossloads -- or downloads -- or, well, whatever silly direction we wish to indicate -- loads the appropriate version to all appropriate venues.  That means those three ebooks will soon be available from B&N online, iTunes, and so on.  That, in turn, means that all you Nookies can read them! (sorry, I probably shouldn't have -- well, heck, it's funny)

It means one other thing, by the way.  Amazon makes money from sales of the book, of course, and so books that are set to permanent free aren't welcome.  Hey, I have an MBA; I can dig that.  But Smashwords does not.  Well, they do make money from sales of books, that is, but they are fine with perma-free. 

What's that mean?  I set Undercover Truths/Undercover Lies to free.  That's not "free till Friday" or "free today only," that's free.  Free as the birds.  Free as the meat in fresh roadkill.

Eww.

But no, seriously, it's free.  Go download here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539995 .  It's available in whatever format you wish to read it in. 

And then?  Please, go post a review of it somewhere.  That's the most awesome-est-est-est gift you can give me, or any author. 

And, I know what you're thinking: "that might work, but how will we get the God of War to wear a tutu?"  No, sorry, that was a bad flashback.  What you're thinking is: "when will the other two books in the first series be available in all formats as well?"  Answer is, they're still under contract with Amazon.  One comes out this week, and the other in a couple of months.  Sorry for the delay, but I'll get it as soon as I can honestly do it.  In the meanwhile, enjoy a double dose of first volumes!

Thanks, as always, for reading!

- TOSK